As I work with families, all manner of questions arise — and one of the most frequent questions is “What do I do with the cremains (ashes)?”  Every family has their own ideas and needs about what is proper and what is right for them.

Burying a pet’s cremains with family members

Many families keep the cremains until such time as one of the family members dies. They then have the pet’s cremains buried with that family member.

While this may be appropriate for some families, you may want to consider an alternative that was recently shared with me. Since both the husband and wife dearly loved their dog, they asked me to separate the cremains into two so that when the time came for them, each one could be buried with a part of their beloved companion. Giving this choice some advance thought makes it simple to achieve when the time actually comes.

Burying or scattering cremains

Some families chose to keep their pet’s cremains in an urn in their home. However, if your pet loved the outdoors, there are many ways to place them on, in or near the earth.

Garden of remembrance for your companion

A beautiful flower garden and its vibrant colors can draw you to a place where your pet’s cremains have been buried. A rock or statue honoring your pet could be incorporated into this area.

Plant a tree for your companion

Incorporate your pet’s cremains in a hole dug to plant a new tree. Or you may chose to buy an EterniTree Biodegradable Urn that incorporates them with seeds that will grow into a living, thriving tree. Adding a tree to the earth in your pet’s memory is truly a “green” memorial to honor your precious pet.

Scatter the cremains where your companion loved to run

Scattering them in their favorite spot can be an event as well as a memorial. Going to a nature trail they enjoyed hiking, a lake where they loved to swim, or a park where they loved to run and play fetch gives you a special time to say goodbye.

The bond you share with your pet while they are in this life will help you decide where they should rest. Take the time to think through all of your alternatives to find the perfect method that gives you peace and comfort and honors their memory.

Considering an urn

Visit the Urns page on this site to find the two brass urns at the top of this post.

Urns come in all shapes, sizes and purposes, from jewelry that can hold a small amount of cremains to share with a family member or carry with you to large stone or resin memorials for your home or yard, keepsakes and figurines and containers. Our selection features the choices that you can make in wood, metal, marble, ceramic, handmade and compound materials and unique combinations.

The urn or container that you select to safekeep your pet’s cremains should be as special as the relationship you had with your pet.

Not sure how to choose an urn?

For more information to help you choose an urn for your pet, read our article “What to Consider When Choosing an Urn”

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